Egg carton



A. RETZER EGG CARTON Oct. 25; 1932.

Filed April 2, 1931 gmuM Patented c|:.. 25, 1932 1 UNITED. STATES ALBERT RETZER,1OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN EGG CARTON Application filed April 2, 1931; Serial No. 527,111.

' This invention relates to improvements in egg cartons, and more particularly to the type adapted to receive alimited number 0 eggs for retail handling. 7 a

One of the objects of the present inyention is the provision of a simple, inexpensive and efficient carton which, in addition to thoroughly protecting the eggs in the ordinary handling of the carton, 15 provided w1th means for supporting the sections of the carton to prevent any heavy weights from press ing against the eggs arrangedvtherein. Another object of the present invention 18 theprovision ofa novel-type of egg carton, wherein the upper portion of the carton can be quickly and easily detachedfrom the lower portion, whereby "the lower portion Wlll serve as a tray for the eggs, exposmg the upper portionsof the eggs so that they can be easily removed from the tray.

A-further object of the present nvention is the provision of an egg carton having spacing means on the top and bottom thereof so that a number of the cartons can be placed one on top of the other and at the same time relieve the direct pressure of'the weight of the several cartons I from the eggs in the lowermost cartons, so that a number of the for display purposes.

A still further object of the present inven tion is the provision of an egg carton which can be madefrom a single piece of material, with the nesting portions arranged in opposed relation, and provided witha plurality of spaced egg receiving parts, and wherein the cover portion is attached to the body or tray of the carton in such a manner as to permit its removal from the body so that the low-er portion of the body will provide a tray for display purposes, and'also a tray wherein the eggs can be quickly and easily removed therefrom.

1? With the above and other objects in view, the inventionconsistsin the novel features of construction, the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

cartons can be piled one on top of the other Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view on the line 11 of Figure 4; I

Figure 2 is a. detailed plan view of a portion of the blank; I

Figure 3 is a transver'se sectional viewon the line 3-3 of Figure 4; and,

" Figure 4 is a side elevation.

' Referring to the drawing, it will be noted in Figure 2 that the blank 1 is provided along each side edge with spaced cutout portions providing a plurality of small tabs 2 and a relatively large tab 3 at one side of the cutout.

A second row of cutouts lie parallel with Y the first row andsuitablenests are formed inthe second row of cutouts by providing a central opening 4 and cutting out a plurality of tabs 5 around this central opening, the tabs to be bent inwardly to form the nest receiving portions, 'as shown in Figures 1 and 3. a I

- The bottom or tray portions 6 of the carton includes spaced channels? and v7, with one side of the blank folde'd across the channels, so as to position the nesting cutouts directly over the channels, whereby the eggs indicated A can be inserted in the nests,as illus trated. The cover 8 of thecarton includes the spaced channel members 9 and 9 adapted to be arranged in opposed relation with the channels 7 and 77 when the carton is so closed, as shown in Figure 1.' The tray portion 6 and'the cover portion 8 are integrally formed, but along the center of the blank a series of perforations 10 are formed whereby the cover can be readily detached from the g tray to provide an open tray, as shown in Figure 3. 1 r

It will be noted that when the carton is closed, as shown in Figure 1, the longitudinal central portions 11 are arranged in superposed relation so that the two outer side members in which the nests are formed will rest one upon the other and the U-shaped parts 12 between each channel of both the tray "and the cover rest upon the superposed parts 11, as illustrated. r

By cutting out the relatively large tabs 3 along the edges of the nesting parts, these tabs will extend inwardly along the back of the cartomasshown in Figure 1, and will we g the ends of the eggs.

In order to provide means whereby the cartons after being filled can be placed one on top of the other, and relieve the pressure from the ends of the eggs in the cartons, the several channel members are provided in their intermediate portions with raised ribs 12. These raised ribs not only reduce to a minimum the pressure against the eggs, but support the cartons in spaced relationwith any surface on which theymay be resting, so as to provide a thorough circulation of air around the carton and prevent the accumulation of dampness which would have a tendency to penetrate through into. the eggs and cause them to spoil.

Also, they serve, to absorb shock when the carton is set on a counter or table, thus preventing breakage, and in addition they act to prevent contact of the fastening button with the surface of the support, thus preventing scratching or marring of the same.

It will be noted from the foregoing that I have provided a simple and inexpensive egg carton which consists of a top and bottom section connected with a line of perforations to permit the parts to be readily separated and in the line of perforation, I provide an areuate portion which provides a tab 13 adapted to be inserted in one of the nests as shown in'Figure 3, when the cover is removed from the tray, so as to retain the back wall of the tray in upright position.

It will benoted that by inserting the tab 13 in one of the nesting portions of the top of the tray, it will retain the rear side wall of the tray in close proximity to the top edge thereof and securely hold the eggs along this edge in position.

Attention is also directed to the fact that a well known type of button 14 can be attached to one channel of the cover 8. A cord 15 has one end attached to the button, while the other end is passed around the carton and wound around the button to retain the cover 8 in closed position relative to the tra It will be noted that by'forming the relative y large tabs 3 along each edge of the blank, that when these outer side portions of the blank are folded to provide the partitions between the tray and thecover, the relatively large tabs 3 will be folded outwardly and engage the channels 7 and 9, so as to prevent buckling or crushing of the carton along the rear side, the front side being retained in position by having the opposed outer edges of the channel parts 7, 7, 9 and 9 arranged in intimate contact.

Again by having the U-shaped portions w 12 of both the cover and the tray engage the superposed central parts 11 of the nesting members, the carton forms a substantial protection for the eggs.

Attention is also directed to the fact that the ends of the carton are left open, thus tion when putting the invention into practiee without departing from the spirit of the same or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An egg carton formed from a single blank of cardboard folded, upon itself to form complementary top and bottom sections, each section having a pair of longitudinal troughs alined with the troughs of the adjacent section, inwardly folded partitions carried by each section and adapted to abut each other, said partitions being provided with spaced openings alined with said troughs and registering with each other, and struck-up tabs surrounding each of said openings for snugly engaging an egg, one of each set of tabs adjacent the openings at the marginal edges of the partitions being elongated for engagement with the wall of the adjacent trough to brace said wall and the marginal end of said partition.

2. An egg carton of a single blank of cardboard folded upon itself to form complementary top and bottom sections, each section having apair of longitudinal troughs alined with the troughs of the adjacent section, inwardly folded partitions carried by each section and adapted to abut each other, said partitions being provided with spaced openings alined with troughs and registering with each other, and struck-up tabs surrounding each of said openings for snugly engaging an egg, one of each set of tabs adjacent the openings of the marginal edges of the partitions being elongated for engagement with the wall of the adjacent trough to brace said Wall and the marginal edge of said partition, said carton being weakened along a medial line to provide a tab for the bottom section When the sections are severed, said tab be ing alined with one of the openings in the partition carried by the bottom section to permit said tab to be folded into the opening to lock the bottom section and partition together.

3. An egg carton formed from a single lank of cardboard folded upon itself to form complementary top and bottom sections, each section having a pair of longitudinal troughs alined with the troughs of the adjacent section, inwardly folded partitions carried by each section and adapted to abuteach other, said partitions being provided with spaced openings alined with said troughs and registering with each other; struck-up tabs surrounding each of said openings for snugly engaging an egg, one of each set of tabs adj acent the openings at the marginal edges of the partitions being elongated for engagement with the wall of the adjacent trough to brace said wall and the marginal end of said partition, and longitudinal, outwardly projecting ribs formed on each'troughportion to space the same from a support.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

ALBERT RETZER. 

